Presidents and Presidency (US)

News about US Presidents and Presidency, including commentary and archival articles published in The New York Times.

Chronology of Coverage

Jul. 23, 2015

Pres Obama leaves for trip to Kenya, raising speculation as to how much inner turmoil president may experience while visiting his father's birthplace; his father's nationality had ignited controversy during his first presidential campaign on whether Obama was American citizen and eligible to run for office; itinerary includes visit with Kenyan and Ethiopian presidents. MORE

Jul. 9, 2015

Nicholas Kristof Op-Ed column calls for correction of mocking narrative many perpetuate about former Pres Jimmy Carter in light of publication of his memoir A Full Life: Reflections at Ninety; details numerous ways in which Carter as president showed what it meant to be a principled politician and praises Carter for good works he has done post-presidency. MORE

Jun. 9, 2015

Editorial praises Supreme Court ruling in case Zivotofsky v Kerry, reaffirming that power to recognize foreign governments rests only with the president, and not with Congress; notes that case stemmed from law passed by Congress in 2002 that sought to require that State Dept put Israel as place of birth, upon request, for children born in Jerusalem. MORE

Apr. 18, 2015

Steven Rattner Op-Ed article holds Congress's sabotage of Pres Obama's prerogative to enter into nuclear agreement with Iran represents erosion of presidential authority that began in 1970s; urges restoration of several presidential powers, including line-item veto; asserts strong presidency is necessary regardless of which party president belongs to. MORE

Apr. 15, 2015

White House Memo; legacy of Pres Abraham Lincoln, whose death has reached its 150th anniversary, hangs heavily over White House and all presidents who occupy it; both Republicans and Democrats have cited Lincoln as inspiration, but standard he set is difficult to meet. MORE

Apr. 11, 2015

The Upshot; Babe Ruth was one of first American sports stars to deal with presidents as an celebrity of near-equal status; descriptions of his encounters with half-dozen presidents noted. MORE

Apr. 1, 2015

Wisconsin Gov Scott Walker, who is likely candidate for 2016 Republican presidential nomination, is allergic to dog dander, running against long line of former presidents who loved their dogs; has managed to suppress his dog allergies to pet a few in the past. MORE

Mar. 15, 2015

Exhibit From Portraits to Tweets: Imagery, Technology and the U.S. Presidency, at the Hofstra University Museum in Hempstead, explores effects of changing technology on public perception of American presidents (Metropolitan/Long Island). MORE

Mar. 13, 2015

Op-Ed article by Prof Kathleen DuVal argues that Senate Republicans' unauthorized open letter to Iran regarding nuclear agreement has precedent in years following American Revolution; holds early attempts by individuals or state governments to negotiate with foreign governments rarely proved successful; contends later creation of office of presidency and Constitution centralized American foreign policy and allowed United States to become rising power; says Republicans' action suggests return to fragmentation and weakness. MORE

Mar. 11, 2015

White House Memo; lack of any real relationship between Pres Obama and Israeli Prime Min Benjamin Netanyahu is indicative of Obama's approach with other foreign leaders; his cool, businesslike approach with them leaves him bereft of the kind of sustaining relationships that previous presidents cultivated to help mollify disagreements and receive cooperation. MORE

Feb. 13, 2015

Waldorf Towers atop Waldorf Astoria Hotel features 26 'presidential style' suites, including one that has been used for every president since Herbert Hoover; prices range from $4,000 to $8,000 per night. MORE

Jan. 18, 2015

Chicago's lock on hosting future Barack Obama Presidential Library, long assumed to be certainty, has become questionable as rumors swirl that city's bids are unsatisfactory to Obama foundation; prospect of library going to rival city of New York is unthinkable to many in Chicago. MORE

Jan. 7, 2015

Frank Bruni Op-Ed column describes how Julian Zelizer book The Fierce Urgency of Now, which focuses on Pres Lyndon B Johnson's tenure, has caused him to reassess criticisms of Pres Barack Obama, particularly in way he has dealt with Congress; notes book shows how rare it is for presidents to impose their will on Congress, and that Johnson's reputation for manipulating Congress has been blown out of proportion. MORE

Jan. 5, 2015

Paul Krugman Op-Ed column questions how much Pres Obama should be credited with rapid improvement in the economic recovery; points out while economists have historically emphasized the role of the Federal Reserve over the White House, Obama has been effective in terms of emergency stimulus spending and shielding the Fed from political opposition; holds those who blamed economic doldrums on Obama must face fact that they appear foolish. MORE

Dec. 26, 2014

Volunteers with no special training drive vans in White House motorcades, filled with lower ranking White House staff members and reporters; drivers are less expensive than Secret Service people or local police officers who surround them on road, but practice is also seen as unsound, since motorcades can travel at high speeds, especially when escorting Pres Obama. MORE

Dec. 22, 2014

Op-Ed article by Profs Ian Ayres and John Fabian Witt submits that Pres Obama may be least lame duck president in history, having taken dramatic action on immigration, climate change and relations with Cuba in his first month and a half as lame duck; holds that political changes during George W Bush and Obama presidencies have given them unprecedented capacity for unilateral executive authority during last two years of term; urges Obama to continue taking decisive and progressive action while he has opportunity to do so. MORE

Dec. 14, 2014

The Upshot; Prof Brendan Nyhan questions when Americans will give up on idea of leader who will magically bring consensus and unity to politics; contends political system that enabled presidents to be uniting figures who work across the aisle to build support for their agenda is disappearing, and conditions that allowed for such a president were a historical anomaly. MORE

Nov. 28, 2014

Research published in journal Science finds societies collectively forget memories according to same formula as individuals do; report is first to measure forgetfulness over 40-year period, testing Americans' ability to remember names of past presidents; study shows that culture imitates biology, even though two systems work in vastly different ways. MORE

Nov. 25, 2014

David Brooks Op-Ed column argues that changing America's political culture will require presidents to be more creative in their approach to collaboration; describes essential qualities for such a leader, who would ultimately act as an honest broker amid an exchange of ideas by well-chosen luminaries and experts. MORE

Nov. 23, 2014

Ross Douthat Op-Ed column expresses his belief that Pres Obama sincerely set out to tame an imperial presidency when he ran for office in 2008, but observes that his time in office has transformed him into a leader whose executive overreach is farther than that of his predecessor; offers three reasons for what he sees as a transformation that borders on betrayal. MORE

Nov. 14, 2014

William J Clinton Presidential Center in Little Rock, Ark, is preparing to celebrate its 10th anniversary; primary focus of organizers is on Bill Clinton's accomplishments, but center is also aware of possibility of 2016 presidential campaign by Hillary Rodham Clinton. MORE

Oct. 26, 2014

Frank Bruni Op-Ed column examines father-son psychodramas underpinning the presidencies of George W Bush, Bill Clinton and Barrack Obama; observes that while Bush was driven in part by his desire for his father's approval, Clinton and Obama have both admitted being motivated by the absence of their fathers. MORE

Oct. 1, 2014

History of White House security breaches are vast and varied; over the decades, the Secret Service has installed more and more barriers to keep out the unwanted, even as presidents struggled to preserve their home as welcoming. MORE

Sep. 29, 2014

Political Memo; former Pres Bill Clinton has managed a remarkable political longevity, and is one of the most durable high-stakes players ever in American presidential politics. MORE

Sep. 23, 2014

Op-Ed article by scholar and author James Mann argues that Pres Obama's final years in office could be effective, even great ones, despite growing consensus among media that he is finished; examines historical precedents of late-term accomplishments set by former Presidents Bill Clinton and Ronald Reagan. MORE

Sep. 17, 2014

Frank Bruni Op-Ed column criticizes supporters of Pres Obama who invoke memory of George W Bush whenever Obama's policies are called into question, such as his handling of Islamic State in Iraq and Syria; contends Obama can be measured without yardstick of Bush. MORE

Aug. 4, 2014

White House Memo; conservatives' talks of impeachment these days serve as a reminder that 40 years after Pres Richard M Nixon resigned in the face of impending impeachment, nation he left behind is still struggling to define the contours of presidential power and the nature of political accountability; series of new books, documentaries and other media events are planned for anniversary of Nixon's fall. MORE

Jul. 19, 2014

Pres Obama has used proclamations throughout his presidency to show allegiance to his core supporters, while also promoting some of his key agenda items; use of proclamations as political tool has flourished since administration of Harry S Truman. MORE

Jul. 5, 2014

Gail Collins Op-Ed column observes that Warren Harding, held by many to be America's worst ever president, is to receive renewed attention in form of publication of trove of love letters that he wrote; notes that Harding has several defenders among historians; speculates as to how Pres Obama, who has been voted worst president since World War II in poll, will fare over long term. MORE

Jun. 27, 2014

Supreme Court decision to curb Pres Obama’s ability to make recess appointments opens new debate in nation’s capital about the proper limits of presidential power in an era of intense partisan gridlock. MORE

Jun. 27, 2014

Editorial criticizes unanimous Supreme Court decision invalidating several recess appointments made by Pres Obama to the National Labor Relations Board; argues that ruling ignores partisan realities of an intransigent Congress, and could block Obama and his successors from making necessary appointments to executive posts as nation's politics become more sharply polarized. MORE

Jun. 14, 2014

Three universities, several community groups and others in Chicago are expected to submit proposals to the Barack Obama Foundation for the presidential library site; some view the University of Chicago as having inside track. MORE

May. 1, 2014

Illinois Democrats are urging fellow lawmakers to pledge $100 million in state money to lure Barack Obama presidential library to state and away from other states with claims on president's history, like New York and Hawaii; Illinois Republicans have balked at proposal. MORE

Apr. 30, 2014

Pres Obama has had a powerful impact on the nation's popular culture, but few artists have focused on the inspirational story of the nation's first black president; many screenwriters, novelists and visual artists have found more compelling story lines in the bleaker, morally fraught parts of Obama's legacy, like the use of drones; notable example of this is movie Captain America: The Winter Soldier. MORE

Apr. 19, 2014

National Archives releases its largest batch yet of previously withheld documents from the Clinton administration, covering wide range of topics; bundle that is likely to receive the most attention is one that covers Hillary Rodham Clinton’s ill-fated attempt as first lady to overhaul national health care system; other notable sections highlighted. MORE

Apr. 9, 2014

White House Memo; 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act raises question about whether a president can ever again enact monumental change in American society in the way Pres Lyndon B Johnson did; Pres Obama has become a symbol of liberal frustration over his inability to use government to bring about change, and faces likelihood that his final six years in office will barely move the needle on his grander aspirations. MORE

Apr. 9, 2014

Edward Rothstein Critic's Notebook; LBJ Presidential Library in Austin, Tex, as part of three-day gathering to commemorate 50th anniversary of Civil Rights Act, is promoting new assessment of Pres Lyndon Baines Johnson, showing him and Abraham Lincoln as kindred spirits. MORE

Apr. 4, 2014

More than 800 supporters, allies, aides and even former opponents of former Pres George H W Bush will gather in Texas for three-day reunion to mark the 25th anniversary of his presidency and try to burnish his legacy. MORE

Mar. 23, 2014

Secret Service begins soliciting bids for a new presidential limousine to replace the five-year-old Cadillac now in service; winning company will be responsible for developing the next-generation vehicle, including integrating the armor and fabricating the prototype. MORE

Feb. 19, 2014

Op-Ed article by scholar Witold Rybczynski expresses hope that Pres Obama reverts to tradition and deposits his papers at the Library of Congress instead of erecting a presidential library; contends that, failing that, Obama should make his presidential library a modest building, which could be the grandest statement of all. MORE

Feb. 8, 2014

Charles M Blow Op-Ed column criticizes conservatives for labeling Pres Obama as 'lawless' in latest line of attack, calling it yet another excuse for obstruction and recalcitrance; examines Pres Obama's use of executive orders, finding it unexceptional. MORE

Jan. 22, 2014

Op-Ed article by Norman J Ornstein, resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, warns that the Supreme Court case National Labor Relations Board v Noel Canning represents the biggest threat to presidential power in decades; contends that if the Supreme Court takes away the ability of the president to make recess appointments, it will make the country's dysfunctional politics and policy making much worse. MORE

Jan. 21, 2014

Frank Bruni Op-Ed column contends that for all their differences, Pres Obama and former Pres George W Bush share a preference for solitude and tendency to retreat inwards; suggests those who seek presidency may be predisposed to isolation. MORE

Jan. 17, 2014

Political memo; Pres Obama, chastened by disclosures about extent of National Security Agency surveillance, has embraced balance between competing imperatives of security and civil liberties; history of past presidencies shows that reality of governing nearly always gives the lie to the I-can-square-the-circle formulations that winning candidates take to the White House. MORE

Jan. 14, 2014

Supreme Court appears prepared to rein in the ability of presidents to make appointments without Senate's consent; in extended argument that contains large doses of constitutional history and practical politics, Court seems skeptical of validity of Pres Obama's recess appointments. MORE

Jan. 13, 2014

Editorial points out issues on which Pres Obama should use executive orders to get around recalcitrant Republican in Congress; urges Obama to address discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity, use of sweatshops overseas, gun control, and the prohibition of use of foreign aid money to pay for abortions. MORE

Jan. 12, 2014

Editorial contends what is at stake in the case before the Supreme Court regarding recess appointments by the president is that the government must be able to function even when Congress cannot or will not do its job; urges the court to reaffirm the longstanding practice of recess appointments, which is consistent with both the language and the meaning of the Constitution. MORE

Jan. 2, 2014

Extent of Pres Obama's love of golf has been on display during his winter vacation in Hawaii, where he has played seven out of his 12 days there, for as much as six hours at a time; fifteen of the past 18 presidents have played golf, and their approach to the game has often illustrated their character in office. MORE

Dec. 29, 2013

Pres Obama celebrates low-key holiday in Hawaii, noticeably not attending Christmas church services; religious habits of United States presidents have long been public concern, but Obama's faith appears more complicated, more private, and perhaps more inclusive than that of others. MORE

Dec. 19, 2013

Op-Ed article by author Ishmael Reed contends Pres Obama is the one Democratic president who comes closest to style of bebop called 'the Cool;' recounts having that impression reinforced after seeing Obama award saxophonist Sonny Rollins with National Medal of Arts and Humanities. MORE